Thank you!

Also called Amdavad, this place happened to be the former capital of the state of Gujarat. The third largest of all the cities in the state, it is situated on the banks of the famous Sabarmati River and happens to be the industrial and economic hub of the state. The Ahmedabad Stock Exchange is also the second oldest one in the country and the city second when it comes to cotton production. There are some very famous places like the Sabarmati Ashram and Kankaria Lake that one can visit when in Ahmedabad.Read More

Also called Amdavad, this place happened to be the former capital of the state of Gujarat. The third largest of all the cities in the state, it is situated on the banks of the famous Sabarmati River and happens to be the industrial and economic hub of the state. The Ahmedabad Stock Exchange is also the second oldest one in the country and the city second when it comes to cotton production. There are some very famous places like the Sabarmati Ashram and Kankaria Lake that one can visit when in Ahmedabad.

The nearest metro city is Ahmedabad, 90 km and about 2 ½ hours’ drive. The airport at Ahmedabad has domestic and international flights. Ahmedabad is also a convenient railway junction, connected across India. The nearest railhead 30 km away is Viramgam, is connected to Mumbai.

I started my trip from Ahmedabad, took a flight to Delhi. The adventure started from Ahmedabad itself as our flight got cancelled luckily we were able to book other flight on the same day thanks to GoAir. I with my friend reached New Delhi around 12 noon. Our bus to Manali from Delhi was at 22:30. We managed to book a hotel near airport where we passed our half day.The ISBT bus stop from airport is around 25kms, we took airport metro from Delhi Airport to reach ISBTReaching ISBT bus stop : For catching metro from airport one has to reach aerocity metro station which can be easily reached by shuttles operating at airport. Catch metro from Aerocity to New Delhi and change from New Delhi to ISBT. The bus stop is just outside the metro staion,you can reach easily as it is mentioned every where. We reached ISBT bus stop at around 21:00 hrs. where we met our second friend. We had our meal in McD and boarded our bus at 22:30 hrs. The bus was Tata Himgaurav HRTC which was not good as Volvo.

The Walled City of Ahmedabad, founded by Sultan Ahmed Shah in the 15th century, has been declared India’s first World Heritage City. The World Heritage Committee (WHC) of UNESCO announced it on Twitter on Saturday after a meeting in Krakow, Poland. Ahmedabad was in the race for the prestigious title with Delhi and Mumbai.This declaration was hailed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah and Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani.

day 5 i woke up and look outside window then i found that we reached at Baroda. from Baroda Ahmadabad is 100 km so get up and waiting for home to come! and then we reached Ahmadabad at 9:00 am in morning. so i have not mentioned elephant point, table top etc because i was not gone there, also those places are worth to visit but better next time. life gives us opportunity but thing is that we are too busy with making money or something else, just grab opportunity to travel, to explore, to explore yourself! go out and see the world, it has so many things to offer you, it will give you good as well as bad experience just take it and go for another one!! i hope you guys enjoy reading this, and sorry for late post because i was busy with something! do comment your views and query, i wold like to answer you all. this is Akshay says bye for now i'll catch you in next one till then you take care and travel well!

so it was 8th January 2017 and i was all set to leave Ahmadabad, as we were traveling via bus so there was not a big problem to be on time. (*privet bus for travelers) and i decided to set in cabin as i want to enjoy scenery and explore the roads. so we left Ahmadabad around 2:00 pm, i know it's a bit awkward time to leave place but that's okay as we don't have any time issue. distance between Ahmadabad to Mahabaleshwar is 745 km via NH48 which also contains toll road, 823 km via NH60 and NH48 and 854 km from NE1, NH48 and NH60. we chose the shortest on 745 km via NH48.now those who had traveled to Gujarat knows that roads in Gujarat are absolutely amazing, just pull the throttle and live the moment! so it took us around 16 hours to reach Mahabaleshwar. our route was Ahmadabad-Baroda-Surat-Mumbai-Pune-Mahabaleshwar, we used both expressway to make journey comfortable and fast! (*Ahmadabad-Baroda expressway and Mumbai-Pune expressway) the one who love road trip will love this highway specially after Pune, as ghat section start. i had seen one of the best sunrise of my life on Mumbai-Pune expressway! just don't miss sunset and sunrise on this kind of roads!

The road from Ahmedabad to Kutch is filled with lot of fun and complimentary scenes which makes is a perfect road for going on a road trip. The road is complemented with some great sceneries and endless expanse of the white desert which is complimented by the colorful life of the local people of Kutch. The road is almost 381 kms long and a best one to go on a bike trip.

Started the engine at AhmedabadWe kick-started our bike from Ahmedabad on NH47 that took around three hours plus half an hour to reach Rajkot with a couple of halts to take some high-caffeine tea. The road is good and the food is available at many locations in between. If you start in the evening, you should stay in Rajkot for a night & continue your ride the following morning a little early because rides always make us tired out if we do not believe in rest. We did the same & check into a hotel named ‘Krishna Palace’. This budget hotel charged Rs.550 for a night.

Celebrating Makar sankranti in Ahmedabad. It was a 4 days unplanned trip by me and my 2 friends...the budget was way more cheap..and the fun we had was indeed awesome..some of the glimps i've uploaded on my wall..have a look and enjoy.

I am a college student and I just want to find an excuse to escape my busy life and party and enjoy myself.This holi I couldn't go back to Delhi (home) cause of some reason.All my friends went back home and I was planning to just pack my bag and go for a solo trip. At first I decided to go to Mumbai for holi but eventually I decided to party in Goa.So zip zap zoom irctc got booked a train but I was still on the waiting list. I couldn't get a birth but I got on the train and when Ticket collector came I showed him the wait list on my phone. He thought that since I am showing on phone my ticket might be confirmed. Haha. It was a 18 he train from Ahmadabad to Goa, tiring but when I got there since my ticket wasn't confirmed,it got refunded. I reached Goa for free. Haha haha luck me. on my way met these amazing people who were also going to Goa . They were from Mumbai and I decided to stay with them for 1 night since I got booking at this hostel from 12 to 14.

Day 3, was spent in exploring Gandhinagar plant nurseries for work purposes and then relishing on amazing Jasuben Shah Old Pizza's followed by heavy shopping in Sanskruti Shop offering amazing clothing range of Gujarati culture and art and the in the evening we splurged on Swati Snacks. This place being very famous is a bit over-priced but offers excellent service.So, it was a wrap for Ahmedabad this time with a wish to explore it again and again.P.S. it would be a crime not to mention the amazing watermelon juice throughout the trip and blindly ask for sugarcane juice at any place and I bet it would be worth having. Also, splurge on some pineapples since these fruits are found everywhere in Gujarat. Also, do visit the Sahyog restaurant if you visit Mehsana and for your information it's just in front of the massive Amul Dairy factory.

One of Gujarat's most beautiful places, Kutch is nature's masterpiece. The vast barren land with spurts of colour is an enchanting sight and the White Desert, as it's fondly called, is what travellers' dreams are made of.
The Rann of Kutch is filled with sea water during monsoons and with salt water, immediately after. Only on a few islands will you find signs of vegetation enough to sustain the life here. The Rann is made of almost 16 tribes and most tribes have distinct cultures, different languages and a way of life that is drastically different. During your trip here, do make sure to spend time with the tribes here. Not only will you learn a little more about the locals here but the experience tends to become quite memorable.
Do visit Aina Mahal, Bhuj Museum, Prag Mahal and Mandvi beach. For adventure enthusiasts, do try the camel safari, stay at the camps under the stars and experience everything one usually doesn't. Of course, a visit here during Rann Utsav is unmatched.
For shopaholics, there is a plethora of goodies to take back home, including silver jewellery, handicrafts, bandhani and applique work. Do choose your stay option carefully since that will add to your experience here in Kutch. Numerous options have been added to this town's growing list of hotels and you can easily choose the kind of holiday you want.Read More

One of Gujarat's most beautiful places, Kutch is nature's masterpiece. The vast barren land with spurts of colour is an enchanting sight and the White Desert, as it's fondly called, is what travellers' dreams are made of.
The Rann of Kutch is filled with sea water during monsoons and with salt water, immediately after. Only on a few islands will you find signs of vegetation enough to sustain the life here. The Rann is made of almost 16 tribes and most tribes have distinct cultures, different languages and a way of life that is drastically different. During your trip here, do make sure to spend time with the tribes here. Not only will you learn a little more about the locals here but the experience tends to become quite memorable.
Do visit Aina Mahal, Bhuj Museum, Prag Mahal and Mandvi beach. For adventure enthusiasts, do try the camel safari, stay at the camps under the stars and experience everything one usually doesn't. Of course, a visit here during Rann Utsav is unmatched.
For shopaholics, there is a plethora of goodies to take back home, including silver jewellery, handicrafts, bandhani and applique work. Do choose your stay option carefully since that will add to your experience here in Kutch. Numerous options have been added to this town's growing list of hotels and you can easily choose the kind of holiday you want.

The white salt desert should be a major reason why you should visit this place. A trip during winter is recommended as the place comes alive. The Rann Festival which is organised during the months of December and February attracts huge crowds. However, if you want to avoid crowds, visit the place after the peak season. The area is known for various crafts, embroidery work as well as animal sanctuaries. You can also pay a visit to Bhuj before Kutch. The beautiful beach there is sure to be relaxing. The alleys with the typical houses and buildings are the best attractions. These have traditional Gujarati styles of architecture and designs on them which tell you a lot about their building styles and how it has evolved from the earlier days. This is no doubt one of the best weekend getaways from Ahmedabad. The whole town is built around the Bhuiyo Dungar Hill from where it derives the name. The other attractions here are the Aina Mahal, The Kutch Museum, which is known to be the oldest here and the bell tower in the Prag Mahal.Distance from Ahmadabad - 400 Km

6. Kutch: While talking about places to visit in the monsoon in India, one cannot forget the mesmerizing landscapes of Kutch. Deemed as the largest salt desert in India, the Great Rann of Kutch is a carpet of the crystal as far as the eyes can see. The region is inhabited by tribal communities, and their culture and traditions draw a large number of tourists to their land. Every year the Rann Mahotsav turns these barren lands to a myriad coloured kaleidoscope with its three month long festivities. In addition to its rich cultural diversity, Kutch is also a land of adventure. The very famous wildlife safaris, rappelling, and trekking are thrilling experiences to look out for. In order to reach Kutch, Kutch Express is available from Bombay via Ahmedabad to Gandhidham.

Kutch has always been known for its wealth of culture and handicrafts. And when you're here on a holiday, one thing that you really do not want to miss is exploring a few local art forms. Kutch produces some of the world's most unusual textile products, as well as intricately crafted metal works. In the book, Kachchh: The Last Frontier, author Tejinder Singh sums it up pretty well: "The intricate embroidery stems from the Kutchi lifestyle... One can see the influences of the Cretan stitch of Greece, surface interlacing stitches from Armenia and the French tambouring techniques. It is a reflection of their lifestyle... of camels, peacocks, parrots, flowers, trees and women churning milk. Each pattern tells a story."
The best way to experience local art forms in Kutch, however, is by village hopping. As you pass through various artisan villages of the indigenous tribes that inhibit the district of Kutch, you find a striking contradiction. But one needs days to explore them all, or perhaps even a week. But those who have only one day in hand, can take a drive along the dusty road, and explore the humble village of Nirona.

One simple inspiration for people to visit Kutch, from as far as outside of India, is to explore its two natural landscapes: one is the While Desert, which comes with all those dramatic sunsets and full-moons we end up here looking for; and the other, the vast barren flatlands (or the crack-lands).
During my 25 days of backpacking across Gujarat, out of which a fair share was spent in exploring the Great and Little Rann of Kutch, I found a few impressive and offbeat sites - that were far better than the Great Rann of Kutch located near the tent city of Dhordo. The White Rann near Dhordo, as I found out, was crowded and has been turned partially brown (from white) due to its overexposure to tourists. It was moreover impossible to hear the silence here and enjoy the moment on your own, as I apparently did in the more isolated and offbeat corners of White Rann.

Dropping at Bhuj, i got a car that took a thousand to my place of stay in Kutch, the Rann Homestay. Finalllyyy much awaited Kutch! Hell tired from the journey i dozed off to sleep. It was one in the afternoon when i woke up! The sun beaming high up in the sky, no sign of cool weather, the tents swaying to the tune of the wind, sight of arid spaces all around, but the best view out of my bhunga or hut was the lunch being laid out in buffet! chawal, roti, ghee, gur, two types of sabzi, daal and papad! Filling my tummy with as much food as possible, i got dressed to visit the white desert! since the home-stay was far, i had to avail some conveyance. at the site, one needs a permit from the tourist facilitation center and pay 100 per person to take you up to a certain spot from where again you got to walk or ride the camel/camel cart to view the white desert ultimately!

I and my 2 office friends started the trip from ahmedabad by our own car. We started our journey 8 am in morning towards MATA NO MADH a very famous temple of Ashapura mata in kutch. We riched there by 6pm and then we headed towrds NARAYAN SAROVAR which is 43km from mata no madh. NARAYAN sarovar is the last place before pakistan border and after narayan sarovar there is Arabian sea and from there pakistan border is just 40km. There is a KOTESHWAR temple also. Here you will find desert on the one side and arabian sea in the other side which is very amazing.

Kutch Bustard SanctuaryIf you’re trailing the Great Indian bustard, Lesser florican bustard, and Macqueen’s Bustard, you can’t miss this sanctuary. The two-square-kilometre area was declared a sanctuary for the Great Indian bustard in 1992 and it is the only place it is found.The Details: The nearest airport is Bhuj, 110 kilometres away; the railway station is Nalia, 20 kilometres. You can stay at Radisson Hotel Kandla (radisson. com) in Gandhidham. The entry to the sanctuary is free on all days.Watch out for the Great Indian Bustard at the Kutch Bustard Sanctuary.Flamingo CityThe world’s largest flamingo colony, Flamingo City is a lake in the desert where half a million flamingos fly to every year to nest. The best time to visit the area is in the winter months when it becomes the breeding ground for flamingos, pelicans, and avocets.The Details: You can only visit the area on a camel. The starting point is Khavda, 66 kilometres from Bhuj. You can take a flight from Mumbai to Bhuj or take the Bhuj Express or the Kutch Express from Ahmedabad. You can stay at City The VIllage Resort (citythevillage.com) in Bhuj.

Kutch is full of Culture,communicative people, mouth watering food and alluring places.There were so many attractive places in this district to visit which we had covered in 4 days.The "Bandhni" handicrafts works done by Gujarati People is a must buy item from Bhuj.Talking about Gujarati food we had tried from street foods to good restaurant of Bhuj,it was really tasteful and you should try it.The temperature is good between December and Feb so we had planned our trip during that time.I read somewhere that Bhuj is Jaisalmer of Gujarat ,after reaching there i found it was correct as the temperature and location at Indo-pakistan border is quite similar with Jaisalmer.

A must visit place especially during Rann of Kutch Utsav. Enjoy walking on the white desert, the culture of Kutch and the beauty of Tent City. One can shop for authentic craftswork and other items here at Hodka. try visiting this place during the full moon day to enjoy the safari in white desert twice.

Best time to visit - January,February,September,October,November,December

Popularly known as Baroda, Vadodara is great travel destination for history buffs and art enthusiasts. The town is known for the grand Laxmi Vilas Palace and the Fatehsingh Museum (both located in the same premises). Do keep aside an entire day if you are fond or art and culture since the palace is huge and deserves that kind of time.
You can also visit Sayaji Baug, a lush, refreshing garden in the middle of the city. It is the perfect place to visit if you are travelling with children since it has a small kid's zone, a cafeteria, a small museum and a zoo. If you are in the city for more than a day, do visit Maharaja Fatehsingh Museum since it houses numerous rare and beautiful paintings, sculptures and murals from all over the world, collected by the royal family.
Vadodara may not be a traveller's perfect destination, but it does have its fair share of history, culture and art. Read More

Popularly known as Baroda, Vadodara is great travel destination for history buffs and art enthusiasts. The town is known for the grand Laxmi Vilas Palace and the Fatehsingh Museum (both located in the same premises). Do keep aside an entire day if you are fond or art and culture since the palace is huge and deserves that kind of time.
You can also visit Sayaji Baug, a lush, refreshing garden in the middle of the city. It is the perfect place to visit if you are travelling with children since it has a small kid's zone, a cafeteria, a small museum and a zoo. If you are in the city for more than a day, do visit Maharaja Fatehsingh Museum since it houses numerous rare and beautiful paintings, sculptures and murals from all over the world, collected by the royal family.
Vadodara may not be a traveller's perfect destination, but it does have its fair share of history, culture and art.

Day 13: September 29, 2015:I started late at baroda and decided to enter karnataka by evening. The journey was going to be long. I left at 830 AM after breakfast and hit the highway.It took about 7 hours to reach the outskirts of Mumbai. I lost my way on the outskirts and began asking for directions. Finally, when i touched the road towards Panvel, it was about 5PM. I accidentally got onto the Express-Way and a cop was waiting to "mug" me off some money in the name of bribe.After an hours ordeal with the cop and having lost money, I found the road towards Pune and continued my journey.Almost 7 PM when I arrived on the outskirts of Pune. Time to check into a hotel.Day 14: September 30, 2015:I left Pune at 9 AM and began riding towards bangalore. The first leg of the return went peacefully as I reached the outskirts of Kolhapur. A small break for lime soda and I immediately continued riding towards Belgaum. As i crossed Belgaum it was about 2:30 PM.I knew that reaching bangalore by 10 or 11 PM was easy if I continued without a break. Just as I crossed Hubli an near Havery, the traffic cops had blocked the highway and diverted traffic towards Ranebennur and from there I had to deviate towards Davanagere. When I reached Davanagere, it was almost 630PM, due to the road condition through the villages.I had a tea and continued towards Tumkur, It was almost 10 PM when I was a few kilometers before Tumkur town. What I hadn't seen in more than a week came back to haunt me. The rain gods came down heavily and the remaining 80 kms to reach home was spent well in getting drenched.When I finally entered bangalore, it was 1145 PM. I had travelled a total of 940 kms in a little less 15 hours. I was trembling and couldn't stand on my feet as the last day journey had taken a toll on me.Finally, I had completed a full 6200 odd kms in about 15 days, going through a lot of "hardship", meeting a few friends, visiting a few places and experiencing unknown roads of the country.It is time to end the blog with a note that everyone should travel to some unknown destination by their own at some point of time in their lives.

We had a plan to halt again at Ahmedabad, but "We the Riders" aren't only riders, we are "Super Riders". We had started from Bhuj at 8 am. Our breaks were scheduled after every 100 kms, But the exciting part was that we were very close to Ahmedabad in the afternoon itself, we had covered almost 75% of the target destination....."Hmm that's exciting, we can cover 100 kms more, so that we would be close to Mumbai and the next day ride wouldn't be hectic"...Chalo let's cover 100kms more and halt at Vadodara, we decided while resting under a tree. In the evening, we had reached Vadodara to find there was heavy traffic in the city, we were dying to get a hotel. Finally we got one at the Airport....the name itself was Hotel Airport. The stay was luxurious and the comforts were much needed after this long ride. We had stayed there for a night.Day 7 - Vadodara to Mumbai

Best mong places to visit near Ahmedabad within 100 kms is the teeming city of Vadodara which offers a refreshing change of scenery. Palaces, historical monuments, museums and beautiful gardens are the city’s pride. A road trip is the perfect way to set about this journey when the weekend comes calling.Distance from Ahmadabad - 111 KmPlaces to Visit near Ahmadabad Within 200 Kms

Now it was time for us to head back to Mumbai. We started riding back and at Bhuj we got our bike serviced and by night we could reach Vadodara.Next day we again started early with a motive to reach Mumbai by night. We could reach Daman by evening and again it being a union territory we had some good beers to charge ourselves for the one final time for the trip.

Early morning, the next day we were headed back to Mumbai which is nearly 800 Kms away. We did a stop-over at Vadodara, for the night, where we enjoyed the street food, before proceeding to Mumbai. Having visited both the Legends, at Dandi, and the Lions, at Gir, we brought our road trip through Saurashtra to a successful end.

It took us a lifetime to plan, cancel, re-plan and then reschedule the most cliched yet epic journey to the mountains of the Ladakh range.12 long days of mesmerizing ever changing landscapes . Mountains left us awestruck. Enormous rivers followed us everywhere.It is one of those amazingly beautiful places I believe where even the simplest of the camera can give you a pro-level splendid nature photo.Sit back , relax and enjoy Ladakh through my lens.

Examples of Rajput architecture and a prominent pearl fishing centre distinguish Gujarat’s lesser known gem, Jamnagar, from other cities. The age-old decaying buildings, narrow lanes and colourful bazaars make up for the lost charm inflicted by tall buildings and the brimming crowd.
The scenic Lakhota Fort stands in the middle of the lake and is a fort like palace that now houses a museum of old collectables. It looks beautiful at sundown when the lake glitters in the yellow light that reflects from the monument. The Darbargadh Fort, constructed with a mix of European and Rajput architectural styles, is mesmerising to explore. Other must visits here are the Pratap Vilas Palace and Bhujio Kotho, a five-floor monument believed to be constructed for protection during invasions. There are also many Jain temples around the Chandi Bazaar that grant the place an old world charm. With a coastline that stretches till Dwarka, Jamnagar also offers some unspoilt beaches with white and golden sand.
Shopping in Jamnagar is a treat and you must not forget to buy the world famous, multi-hued Bandhani fabric, which can be used as a dupatta or dress or even a sari. Taste the Gujarati delicacies of ghughra and dry fruit kachoris and consider the Express Residency or J R Avezika for a comfortable stay in the city.Read More

Examples of Rajput architecture and a prominent pearl fishing centre distinguish Gujarat’s lesser known gem, Jamnagar, from other cities. The age-old decaying buildings, narrow lanes and colourful bazaars make up for the lost charm inflicted by tall buildings and the brimming crowd.
The scenic Lakhota Fort stands in the middle of the lake and is a fort like palace that now houses a museum of old collectables. It looks beautiful at sundown when the lake glitters in the yellow light that reflects from the monument. The Darbargadh Fort, constructed with a mix of European and Rajput architectural styles, is mesmerising to explore. Other must visits here are the Pratap Vilas Palace and Bhujio Kotho, a five-floor monument believed to be constructed for protection during invasions. There are also many Jain temples around the Chandi Bazaar that grant the place an old world charm. With a coastline that stretches till Dwarka, Jamnagar also offers some unspoilt beaches with white and golden sand.
Shopping in Jamnagar is a treat and you must not forget to buy the world famous, multi-hued Bandhani fabric, which can be used as a dupatta or dress or even a sari. Taste the Gujarati delicacies of ghughra and dry fruit kachoris and consider the Express Residency or J R Avezika for a comfortable stay in the city.

After getting down at Jamnagar, we spent some time in that city and book a car for us. Since we were only 4 members so we booked Maruti-Swift. It is saying that "Without darshan of Ashapura Mata temple, visit Dwarkashish pilgrimage would be incomplete."

Jamnagar - Venice of Gujarat
Still having old architectural marvels...
Presently come up due to reliance and essar
Places to visit
lakhota lake
lakhota lake museum
main palace
Bedi port - famous for corels
Kachori - famous eatry
Having dominos , subway only
Mc Donalds, pizza hut n much more yet to come....

Jamnagar has been synonymous to jalebi and fafda for all the other communities at large. But my one night sojourn will attempt to tell you what lies in this nagar beyond the banal jalebi and fafda routine.
The journey to Jamnagar from Mumbai is a good 14 hour run in the Saurashtra Mail that takes off from Mumbai about 8-25pm. It is preferable to take a three tier AC if one wants to enjoy the entire next day without signs of fatigue. General sleeper is the fun sorts but leaves you with lesser energy for next day as the sleep would be disturbed.
With the usual delay in train incidents one lands in Jamnagar at about 12:30pm the next day.
One already starts witnessing men in white cotton Kediyas and a white turban and the traditional ladies with a unique attire of a choli, a ghaghra, a dupatta, some jewellery and black tattoo like artwork all over their hand.

Mount Abu is the only hill station in the deserts of Rajasthan. Among forts and palaces, this quiet hill station is quite popular with local tourists as well as visitors from across the country.
A place of great religious reverence to the Jain community, the Dilwara Jain Temple is a set of five temples, all belonging to a different century. The temples are carved out of white marble and depict scenes of Gods and Goddesses and are a must visit for their architectural brilliance.
You can also spend a day at Nakki Lake. Lying in the hills, this lovely lake offers boating opportunities to visitors. The Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary is another wonderful way to spend your time on this hill station and can take up your entire day, so do keep yourself free. For trekkers and adventure enthusiasts, the Guru Shikhar is the highest peak in the region and trekking here is a memorable and adventurous experience, though if you aren't an experienced trekker, you may need a little help!
There are numerous hotels and guesthouses here, though depending on the type of traveller you are, it might be a good idea to do a little bit of research before settling on a place to stay.Read More

Mount Abu is the only hill station in the deserts of Rajasthan. Among forts and palaces, this quiet hill station is quite popular with local tourists as well as visitors from across the country.
A place of great religious reverence to the Jain community, the Dilwara Jain Temple is a set of five temples, all belonging to a different century. The temples are carved out of white marble and depict scenes of Gods and Goddesses and are a must visit for their architectural brilliance.
You can also spend a day at Nakki Lake. Lying in the hills, this lovely lake offers boating opportunities to visitors. The Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary is another wonderful way to spend your time on this hill station and can take up your entire day, so do keep yourself free. For trekkers and adventure enthusiasts, the Guru Shikhar is the highest peak in the region and trekking here is a memorable and adventurous experience, though if you aren't an experienced trekker, you may need a little help!
There are numerous hotels and guesthouses here, though depending on the type of traveller you are, it might be a good idea to do a little bit of research before settling on a place to stay.

Talking about the boarding cost, it is a little dearer as compared to the places of Himachal or call it just the long weekend be the reason for the tariffs soaring up. Also, this is the only hill station nearing the cities of Rajasthan and Gujarat which might be keeping the cost escalated. Leave the cost aside, we had real tough time nestling at the place as there were very few rooms at Abu due to sudden rush of long weekend. After relentless hunting for 1 hours in two groups we finally managed to get a decent accommodation. Talking about the amenities of the property, our hotel had a balcony, a beautiful lawn area and a lovely pet- Stella! We got ready in no time and had the mouth watering Shev bhaji, what’s kind of a synonym of food in Rajasthan for me. We have only this day for visiting places and had only half of it left after lunch. We hurried to the top most peak of the place, which they call Guru shikhar and spent some half an hour there by clicking amazing photographs.

On the first day we explored the local markets and checked out some jewelry shops that were actually cool, please do bargain as the locals here are always ready to rip you off. In the evening you can visit the famous Nakki Lake, and while you are there please do try out the soft serve ice cream cone shops that you can find almost everywhere in the market area. It is a heaven for ice-cream fanatics like myself, you can find a variety of flavours and even larger variety of toppings there.

Day 1 Mount AbuMount Abu is the only hill station in Rajasthan situated at an average height of 1,219 mtr's above sea level is the oasis in the deserted land of Rajasthan The famous tourist destination is known for its Delwara Jain temples and natural beauty world over, situated amidst lush green forested hills on the highest peak in the Aravali range is also the summer capital for the Indian state of Rajasthan The nearest railhead is Abu Road, about 25 kms away, in the lowlands. Abu Road is on the railway line from Ahmedabad to Marwar Junction. 9am we reached to mount abu it was very difficult to drive in the city because of too much fog we can’t see anything but keep moving slowly and reached to hotel dumped the bags and rushed to get fresh there is lots of budget hotels and guest house is available in mount abu. Mount abu is not much developed as compare to mahableswar and Panchgani. After getting fresh we headed to Guru Shikar. Guru Shikhar, a peak in the Arbuda Mountains of Rajasthan, is the highest point of the Aravalli Range Located at a height of 1,722 metres, it has some 300-400 steps, to the top, which is a bit tough, but the views from the top are just awesome. The views makes it worth climbing those steps. There’s also a Dattatreya temple at the top from the top you can see the whole Abu Road you can click the picture there is also shop and tea stalls easily u can get the water, juice and snacks. You can reach Guru Shikhar by bike or Car (Note: please be careful while riding on this road its narrow and zigzag road rainy season it’s became worst) after Guru shikar we headed to Dilwara temple.

The only hill station in Rajasthan, Mount Abu is one of the ideal places to visit in India in May. Mount Abu is perched atop a peak made of granite and is wrapped around a lush green forests of the Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, with a rich reserve of exotic flora and fauna. The hill town is a refreshing rescue from the scorching summer sun of the dry north-west India and also is quite popular with foreign travelers. Harboring over 80 intricately carved ancient temples, along with the admirable Jain temples of Delwara, Mount Abu is a holy place for the Jains as well as the Hindus. The Nakki Lake adds an aesthetic charm to the place.How to get there: Abu Road is the nearest railway station. It is well-connected by roads with state transport buses at regular intervals.

Just 5 hours away is Rajasthan’s only and popular hill station offering a pleasant retreat from the heat. Rolling hills dotted with several hindu temples and set amidst flowing rivers and lakes, cascading waterfalls and evergreen forests is enough to take your breath away. If you’re looking for a relaxing weekend getaway from Ahmedabad, Amount Abu is the place to be. Situated at an altitude of around 4000 ft and surrounded by the beautiful Nakki Lake, Mount Abu should definitely feature on the list of best places to visit near Ahmedabad. Since it is Rajasthan’s lone hill station, it definitely has a lot to offer. If you want to get away from the sweltering heat of the city, a weekend trip to Mount Abu should be high on your list. This favourite tourist hotspot has a number of famous landmarks like Sunset Point to keep you enthralled, and relaxed. This is the only hill station of Raasthan and it takes about 5 hours to reach Mount Abu from Gujarat. The main attractions here are the pleasant climatic conditions, the scenic beauty and the lakes. You can also shop for traditional Rajasthani handicrafts out here. The other popular attractions here are the Dilwara group of temples, Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, Peace Park and the Nakki Lake. Mount Abu is a renowned hill station that offers you and the family the chance to escape from the city. The hill station is known for its natural beauty, green hills, serene lakes, beautiful temples and other religious places of worship. The Jain community consider it an important pilgrimage site. It might be cold here but who minds a little winter chill? Tripoto recommends you visit some of the well-known places here like Nakki Lake, the Sunset Point and Mount Abu Wildlife Sanctuary, among a host of other places. If you are a history buff, pay a visit to Dilwara Jain Temples, the Adhar Devi Temple, and Achalgarh Fort. Mount Abu features on most people’s list of best places to visit near Ahmedabad within 300 kms. If the hills are your haven, Mount Abu in nearby Rajasthan is where you should be. Hills dotted with Hindu temples and surrounded by evergreen forests, cascading waterfalls and gushing rivers and lakes is what makes Mount Abu one of the prime weekend getaways from Ahmedabad.Distance from Ahmadabad - 235 Km

Next morning we left for Mount Abu after having a short visit to the new palace of Jodhpur. It was a long drive and we reached Mt. Abu quite late in the evening.Being so tired, we all went to sleep quickly after dinner. With the rising sun, we went to see the Dilwara temples. These are very beautiful jain temples with beautiful carvings on stones which cannot be described in words and one must see themselves.We also went to Mount Abu lake.With this our Rajasthan trip came to an end and we came back to Pune with lots of wonderful memories and of course tons of captures in our camera ☺We could not include Udaipur in this trip but that's an excuse which we have, to return to this mesmerizing state of palaces and royalities ☺This post was originally published on Mind Uncovered.

On our daughters birthday, We visited Mount Abu, A beautiful hill station located at Gujarat -Rajasthan border. Though our trip was advance planned but all preparation was last minute.
The nearest Railway station of Mount Abu is Abu Road, Next day morning we arrived at Abu Road and booked the taxi to reach our destination, after one hour driving from Abu road to Mount Abu, we reached our venue located on hills of Mount Abu, A beautiful place to stay #hotelmanekmanor.The property was amazing, services were good.
We took rest, freshened up and all set to explore Mount Abu, The best part was in Mount Abu one can get Two wheeler with very nominal price and explore the city for full day.We also opted for same.

We purchased our ticket for JAIPUR and encountered with one strange, annoying and frustrated govt employee in the form of ticket handler sitting on the ticketing window aging somewhere in his 40s. He was really an annoying personality, who got mood swings with almost every passenger requesting him for the ticket. He would find some nooks in reservation form or notes every time with perfection. He even abused some but in the very next moment he was acting sober. This gave us a reason to laugh for hours to give us an unforgettable memory from MOUNT ABU. As the trains for Jaipur from Abu Road station was at 1 hour interval and last train was at 11pm and we departed by last train and there was no place to sit in any trains which passed earlier. So we had to compromise on resting our tired bumps on floor to reach our next destination. Believe me this was one of the scariest hours spent in a journey.

I had one interview for an opportunity from Bangalore and I found it too difficult to find a place from where I can take a telephonic call avoiding the hustle and chants coming from temples but somehow managed in one of the Jain temples around. I was advanced to another round after this interview to be scheduled in a week’s time. After visiting all the famous places of MOUNT ABU, we took bus back for ABU ROAD station. We had dinner at one of the famous local Dal Baati serving restaurant in market close to the proximity of railway station. After thinking of another route for future, we found out that while reaching AMRITSAR we must pass through another famous city i.e. JAIPUR as this city is approx. 5-6hrs of distance from MOUNT ABU by train. This time we were not lucky enough to seal the reserved train seats and so we decided to go without reservation on general train ticket as the distance was 5-6hrs and we had no choice.

An integration of historic monuments and modern skyscrapers, Surat is a quaint town located along the banks of river Tapi. The ISKCON temple here, standing on an area of around 13,000 km, is frequented by devotees from all across the world. The Dutch Cemetery, Shahjahan's Fort, Parsi neighbourhood and colonial building are beautiful symbols of the history of this city. Dandi is a popular destination among tourists visiting Surat and is a place made famous by the Indian independence movement.
When it comes to food, Surat offers lip-smacking Gujarati flavours, albeit only vegetarian. Popular eateries here include the Leonardo Ristorante Italiano, Jalaram Khichadi and Kansar Gujarati Thali. Accommodation here is easily available and sits well within in your budget.
If you want more, travel to the Dumas Beach, which is located about 18km from the city. Read More

An integration of historic monuments and modern skyscrapers, Surat is a quaint town located along the banks of river Tapi. The ISKCON temple here, standing on an area of around 13,000 km, is frequented by devotees from all across the world. The Dutch Cemetery, Shahjahan's Fort, Parsi neighbourhood and colonial building are beautiful symbols of the history of this city. Dandi is a popular destination among tourists visiting Surat and is a place made famous by the Indian independence movement.
When it comes to food, Surat offers lip-smacking Gujarati flavours, albeit only vegetarian. Popular eateries here include the Leonardo Ristorante Italiano, Jalaram Khichadi and Kansar Gujarati Thali. Accommodation here is easily available and sits well within in your budget.
If you want more, travel to the Dumas Beach, which is located about 18km from the city.

Day 5: Surat to Maliya, Ahmedabad 450 KmsAhmedabad was our next destination for stay before we reached Kutch. We stopped at Malliya for rest and the drive ahead to Kutch.Stay: GK Hotel, Maliya-Halvad Highway, Near Petrol Pump,, Malia, Gujarat 363670 Ph no: 7046009901/2/3

Surat to Delhi (By Train)- So I was all prepared to start a unforgettable experience of getting Leh'd. The tickets were confirmed and the middleman was contacted in advance to arrange loading of my bike in the same train.

Surat is the fastest growing city in Gujarat.
Hazira port and the Dumas Beach is located along the Arabian Sea, 21 km southwest of Surat, a city in the state of Gujarat in India. This is one of the most horror and haunted beach of Gujarat India.

The city of Junagadh in Odisha, is a popular religious destination as well as an interesting tourist city. It is situated at the foothills of Mount Girnar with the Arabian Sea on its southwest, and fort walls surrounding the entire city.
It is not a surprise that the city is loaded with architectural remnants and a pleasure for history buffs to explore. The Uparkot Fort, Tomb of Nuri Shah and Junagadh Museum will arouse that historical shiver within you and tell you the story of the past.
Jama Masjid is worth visiting for an arresting panorama of Junagadh. Snippets of the Chudasama Rajputs are evident in the architectural styles of relics like Adi-Kadi Vav and Navghan Kuvo.
If you are an adventure seeker, the Holy Hill of Girnar offers a remarkable trek. The Jain temples, Amba Ji Mandir, and Dattatray Mandir are pit stops that you can use to catch a breath during this 5-6 hour steep trek. Once you are at the top of the hill, you will realise why the exhaustion is totally worth it.
Another wonderful opportunity that Junagadh offers you is close proximity to the stunning Gir National Park. If exploring the world is something you simply can't resist, then Gir definitely has to be on your list. Perhaps the only place where you can see the mighty, shy lions going about their daily business, Gir offers you an experience that is hard to forget.
Leo Resorts is a good choice if you prefer to stay a night, though there are other budget and luxury hotels depending on your preference. For shopaholics, there are gold and silver embroidered items and perfumes available in the local markets. Don’t forget to pick up a tin of Kesar Keri on your way back – the taste of the mango pulp will keep you wanting more.Read More

The city of Junagadh in Odisha, is a popular religious destination as well as an interesting tourist city. It is situated at the foothills of Mount Girnar with the Arabian Sea on its southwest, and fort walls surrounding the entire city.
It is not a surprise that the city is loaded with architectural remnants and a pleasure for history buffs to explore. The Uparkot Fort, Tomb of Nuri Shah and Junagadh Museum will arouse that historical shiver within you and tell you the story of the past.
Jama Masjid is worth visiting for an arresting panorama of Junagadh. Snippets of the Chudasama Rajputs are evident in the architectural styles of relics like Adi-Kadi Vav and Navghan Kuvo.
If you are an adventure seeker, the Holy Hill of Girnar offers a remarkable trek. The Jain temples, Amba Ji Mandir, and Dattatray Mandir are pit stops that you can use to catch a breath during this 5-6 hour steep trek. Once you are at the top of the hill, you will realise why the exhaustion is totally worth it.
Another wonderful opportunity that Junagadh offers you is close proximity to the stunning Gir National Park. If exploring the world is something you simply can't resist, then Gir definitely has to be on your list. Perhaps the only place where you can see the mighty, shy lions going about their daily business, Gir offers you an experience that is hard to forget.
Leo Resorts is a good choice if you prefer to stay a night, though there are other budget and luxury hotels depending on your preference. For shopaholics, there are gold and silver embroidered items and perfumes available in the local markets. Don’t forget to pick up a tin of Kesar Keri on your way back – the taste of the mango pulp will keep you wanting more.

I was really very excited about climbing the highest mountain of Gujarat and so as Shreyansh, as both of us never did it. The Girnar is older than the Himalaya Mountain. It’s immense beauty has always attracted me towards it. And now I was about to start a real adventure. Night trekking, climbing the Girnar.Check my next blog post where I will take you on a visual journey to highest mountain in Gujarat.

Well…it is all about my trip to Junagadh District. This time our Wayfarer's Club planned to go for Gir Safari in the Sasan Gir jungle of Junagadh. We were very hopeful about this trip. After all it was the chance to see the Asiatic lions (Babbar sher) in their natural living. Unfortunately I could not join my Wayfarer friends for the Safari, but I decided to join them for visiting places in Junagadh and the Madhopur beach. I had been to Junagadh before but never made it to the Mt. Girnar. This time also it was not on our list, but I was excited about visit to this beautiful city.The moment I entered in Junagadh my first task was to buy milk, sugar, tea and some other snacks as we were staying at a farmhouse for night. At the farmhouse we had delicious ‘’Bhadthu Rotlo’’ - a special and traditional food item for winter season. After completing dinner we set the bonfire. The bonfire was the best thing in that bone chilling winter night.

Junagadh is primarily visited by the pilgrims for sacred Girnar hills which is a home to many Hindus and Jain temples, scattered around the Girnar hill.It is the highest peak in Gujarat State. Reached our point of shelter- hotel Somnath and kept luggage.Savoured Kathiawadi Thali at Patel’s restaurant, the food is wholesome and reasonably priced, more servers than the customers. Thali's at Gujarat do not come with sharing privilege,unlimited servings of Papad,roti,rice,dal etc can be enjoyed ,needless to say.Sakkarbaug zoological park

Junagadh city is the headquarters of Junagadh district. The city is the 7th largest in Gujarat, located at the foot of the Girnar hills, 355 km south west of state capital Gandhinagar and Ahmedabad. Literally translated, Junagadh means "Old Fort". An alternate etymology gives the name as coming from "Yonagadh", literally "City of the Yona (Greeks)," referring to the ancient inhabitants of the city under the Indo-Greek Kingdom. It is also known as "Sorath", the name of the earlier Princely State of Junagadh. After a brief struggle between India and Pakistan, Junagadh joined India on 9 November 1947. It was a part of Saurashtra state and later Bombay state. In 1960, after the Maha Gujarat movement, it became part of newly formed Gujarat state.

Rajkot today may deceive you with its congested roads and new heights, but the soul of the city still screams Gandhi. The narrow lanes, marketplaces with farmers selling bottled ghee at corners keeps the ethos intact. At Alfred High School you will see the reminiscences of the cultural setting where Gandhi pursued his education and at Gandhi Smriti, the recollections of his childhood.
Founded in the colonial times, traces of the British Raj are still prevalent here. Prominent places to visit include the Watson Museum, Rotary Dolls Museum and Aaji Dam. Situated in the heart of Saurashtra, Rajkot is probably the centre with Gir Forest, Somnath Temple, Mount Girnar and even Diu all within a range of 200kms from it. If you want to spend the night, consider the Seasons Hotel or Marasa Sarovar Portico.
From a cultural point of view, Rajkot is not inadequate either. The Kathiawari is an inherent form of folk music and Dayro too is Rajkot’s very own native genre. And how can one possibly forget the Garba? That is what keeps the city lighted during the festival of Navratri, through the night till dawn. Try the mouth-watering cuisine, which includes dishes such as fafda, poha, jalebi, dabeli, spicy ghughra and chikki before leaving the city.Read More

Rajkot today may deceive you with its congested roads and new heights, but the soul of the city still screams Gandhi. The narrow lanes, marketplaces with farmers selling bottled ghee at corners keeps the ethos intact. At Alfred High School you will see the reminiscences of the cultural setting where Gandhi pursued his education and at Gandhi Smriti, the recollections of his childhood.
Founded in the colonial times, traces of the British Raj are still prevalent here. Prominent places to visit include the Watson Museum, Rotary Dolls Museum and Aaji Dam. Situated in the heart of Saurashtra, Rajkot is probably the centre with Gir Forest, Somnath Temple, Mount Girnar and even Diu all within a range of 200kms from it. If you want to spend the night, consider the Seasons Hotel or Marasa Sarovar Portico.
From a cultural point of view, Rajkot is not inadequate either. The Kathiawari is an inherent form of folk music and Dayro too is Rajkot’s very own native genre. And how can one possibly forget the Garba? That is what keeps the city lighted during the festival of Navratri, through the night till dawn. Try the mouth-watering cuisine, which includes dishes such as fafda, poha, jalebi, dabeli, spicy ghughra and chikki before leaving the city.

After long driving of 5 hours reached Rajkot at 9,00p.m, approached Hotel Babha kingstone,room was available.After a tiring journey we were in need of a good night's sleep.Early morning after a delicious breakfast at the hotel left to

Rajkot is frequently referred to as "Rangiloo Rajkot" meaning colorful Rajkot. The people of Rajkot like to enjoy themselves to the fullest no matter which season or time of the day. You can find them eating out at 1 am. Shopkeepers mostly close their business in the afternoon.Rajkot is multicultural. However, only Gujarati, Hindi, Urdu and English are well understood. Rajkot is the part of Kathiyawad. Because of this people of Rajkot are also known as Kathiyawadi.The City is also the home town of MohanDas Gandhi

A small town and municipality under the Morbi District of Gujarat, this is known as the Small Kashi of India with so many temples. This is a town of the Gujaratai Brahmins and warrior clans. They also have old palaces which they have protected till date. This placxe is perfect to visit if you are a history lover. The main temples of Halvad are the Sharaneshwar temple, Bhavanibhuteshwar Temple, Gaulokeshwar Temple, Shabalwshar Temple, Kashivishwanath Temple, Bajinath Temple and the Dholeshwar Temple.